Redemption
by MidnightAngel30
Summary: Since being told that The Five would eventually continue Project Typhon, Klaus is now faced with going on one last assignment to end everything, once and for all. With Caroline by his side, will they be successful, or will their mission end in heartache? AU/AH. Sequel to Torment.
1. What Lies Ahead

Everything was pitch black. Not a star or cloud in the sky as the trees moved by in a blur.

Klaus didn't remember getting here. He didn't remember why he was running through the forest. The trees flashed by as he dodged fallen branches, and rocks scattered around. All he could hear was the sound of his heavy breathing.

He kept looking behind him, but he didn't know whom he was running from.

The further he went into the foliage, the faster the rocks and fallen branches were morphing into other things entirely. He wasn't jumping over ordinary shrubs anymore.

They were dead bodies.

Smoke rose from the spots the people appeared on. Where there was a pile of leaves, a body appeared, lying faceless in the dirt. They were still, and cold. Even decaying in some cases.

The silence was shattered with one loud, piercing shriek.

Klaus didn't search for the source of it. He was too busy avoiding the bodies that began dangling from the branches, a noose holding them off the ground. More bodies appeared on the ground, multiplying by the second. So he ran harder. He ran until he thought his legs would give out, and there wouldn't be any more death.

The screaming didn't cease as he kept going. They would scream until their lungs gave out, and then another set of shrieks would fill their place. It was never ending. Klaus didn't understand what was going on. Why was this happening?

Finally, after running as far as he could…Klaus collapsed onto the ground, his palms slamming into the dirt.

When he looked up, he didn't like what he saw.

He was looking out onto the docks, a wooden boardwalk stretching out into a murky river. Fog surrounded him as he stared in horror at the bloody body lying face up. Lifeless, just like the rest of them, and a crimson color painted across his chest.

"No…no, this isn't right!" he growled, closing his eyes forcefully. But when he opened them, the body was still there.

This was impossible! Elijah was alive, right? Klaus had seen him alive! His heart began racing as he crawled hurriedly toward his too still brother, waiting intently for him to move. Twitch. Blink. Anything.

As Klaus reached out to touch Elijah, he vanished. Just like that. Gone.

Something told him his worst fear would be behind him. A gut-wrenching feeling that said the vision of dead bodies wasn't over. His breathing slowed, and he could see his breath from the cold, night air. A strange sensation, since he didn't feel cold. But that could have been because of the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

"Klaus?" a voice said meekly, the sound penetrating the still air. He had been right.

Klaus turned around, his eyes wide with fright. There stood Caroline, looking at him through long lashes, while her lips trembled hopelessly. She was pleading to him, and he was weak against her need to be helped.

It didn't do him any favors when he saw the blood trickle down her stomach.

"Caroline?" he croaked. Klaus stood up slowly, but didn't waste time getting to her. She couldn't be hurt. He had just seen her! Hadn't he?

"Help me," she begged him, tears running down her face.

"Tell me how, sweetheart," he said gently. Whatever she wanted him to do, he would.

"I don't know. Just help me!"

Klaus' face contorted into an expression of pain. What was causing his love to bleed? Why was she hurting?

A nasty snarl ripped through his head, and he turned to his right, looking straight into the yellow eyes of a large, gray wolf. It's teeth bared as it growled menacingly at him. The animal was ready to pounce. Klaus turned back to Caroline.

"We have to get out of here. We have to get you away from that."

"You can't," she breathed, all hope gone from her voice. What had changed? Why didn't she want his help anymore?

"Of course we can! But let's go before—"

"No…you can't save me," she cried, tears coming faster now. "_You're_ the monster. And you've already killed me…"

"I-I couldn't have," he said in disbelief. She was staring at him. Caroline was alive. He didn't understand what she was saying.

"You can't save me, Klaus. You can't even save yourself," she said, speaking just above a whisper.

And like the rest of the bodies he had seen, she was gone in an instant, with nothing but a wisp of smoke where she once stood.

"Caroline?!" he yelled. Nothing. Not a sound.

Klaus turned to the wolf that, unfortunately, was still there. Why didn't he have a weapon on him? Of all times not to have one, this was the worst imaginable. He didn't look away from the threatening creature once. If he could kill an army of men, he could kill this animal. Using his bare hands wasn't a new concept.

The wolf began stalking toward Klaus, and suddenly, his confidence began to waver. He wanted to run. He wanted to get as far away from it as he could. What was going on with him? He wasn't like this! Klaus Mikaelson faced danger straight on! An abnormally large wolf shouldn't change that.

But it was. So he went with his instincts, and he ran.

Klaus sprinted in the opposite direction, as fast as his feet would take him. He could hear its paws thumping against the ground, crunching leaves as it gained speed. Klaus was fast, inhumanly fast even, but it wasn't going to be enough. The beast was going to catch him.

In all his panic, Klaus didn't see the branch lying across the forest floor. His feet hooked against it, and he was on the ground before he could stop himself.

He turned around, scurrying backward to try and keep his distance from the monster chasing him. But it wasn't working, just like everything else in this godforsaken forest.

The wolf lunged as soon as it got close enough to Klaus. He braced himself for the imminent pain, facing the animal entirely. He would not be made a coward in his death. However, there was nothing.

The last thing he remembered seeing were the yellow eyes, boring into him as the creature leaped toward its prey. Before the wolf could make contact, everything around him changed drastically. Klaus was no longer staring into a set of intimidating, golden eyes.

He was staring at a pair of much friendlier blue ones.

* * *

Caroline could feel him tossing and turning again.

It had been at least two months since Klaus learned of The Five's intentions. And his nightmares for the last two months hadn't let up. She was getting a little worried about him. Would this last his whole life? Would they end once The Five were taken care of? Or would it worsen?

She watched as he began shaking a little, as if he were cold. Caroline slowly got up to get out of bed. She wasn't sure if she should try and wake him up or not, but the safest bet would be not to. People weren't supposed to wake sleepwalkers. Was it the same for those having nightmares? She needed to do more research on that. After two months, she still wasn't sure how Klaus would react to one thing or another. He had violent tendencies without realizing it. Nothing that had harmed her, but there had been situations that involved getting Elijah's help.

He wasn't having an easy time. His breathing was heavy, and his eyes fluttered back and forth between his closed lids. What was he dreaming about? No matter how many times she asked him, he never told her. It saddened her that he didn't want to divulge what tortured him while he slept.

Caroline sat down on the end of the bed, watching him silently as his brows furrowed. She wondered briefly if she should go get Elijah. He had offered to go sleep in Caroline's apartment so Klaus could have some alone time with her. But maybe she would need an extra hand tonight. It was too early to tell. No need to wake the eldest up if there was nothing to wake him up for.

Now Klaus was making weird mumbling noises. It was really concerning to her. She felt useless just sitting there, doing nothing. All she could do was be there for him. That's all she could _ever_ do.

His breathing quickened, and before she could brace herself, Klaus abruptly sat up, looking her straight in the eyes. Caroline jumped a little, but remained sitting where she was. Klaus appeared dazed, and looked around frantically, trying to get used to his surroundings. This was all the usual routine. Nothing was different yet.

"Caroline," he breathed, as if identifying her. As if asking her if she was real. She nodded.

"It's me."

"Here…come here," he said breathlessly, like he had just run a marathon.

Caroline carefully got up, trying not to make sudden movements. She stood in front of him, and he eased her shirt up enough to expose her stomach. He ran his finger along the faint scar from three months ago. After thoroughly inspecting it, he gently brought her closer, and placed his lips upon the spot. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her tightly.

"I'm okay," she said soothingly, brushing his hair with her fingers. Caroline could feel how damp his forehead was from the sweat.

"Elijah…"

"He's downstairs, fast asleep in my apartment. He's okay too." Klaus nodded hesitantly.

"I want to see him."

"Let's use the fire escape. Some fresh air might help." She didn't want to argue with him over and over about how Elijah was alive. He would need to see this himself to be satisfied. Quite frankly she didn't blame him. Caroline only saw his drawings, but if that was any indication, then his dreams were rather vivid.

Klaus nodded his head against her body, pulling away enough to grab her hand, and stand up on wobbly legs. She adjusted herself so that she could put her arms around his waist, and help him to the window until he was a little more awake.

Once at the window, she went out first, and he followed behind her, never letting go of her hand when they were outside. She pointed to her window, and at the sleeping figure on…oh, come on, Elijah! She had said he could sleep on the bed, not the couch! Why would he never listen?

"See his chest moving up and down?" she pointed out, so Klaus didn't suspect he was just lying there dead. He nodded, and gave a small sigh of relief. He moved back up the stairs, and sat down, running his fingers through his hair.

"I'm going insane," he said quietly, no doubt ashamed he was experiencing all of this in front of Caroline for the umpteenth time. It didn't happen every night, but definitely more so since knowledge of the trip ahead of them came to light. Which was drawing nearer.

"No you're not," she said, taking a seat beside him. "You've just been through a rough time. And that's an understatement."

"I'm tired of feeling like you're babysitting me though."

"Of course I'm not. I'm here because I love you, not because I think I have to be."

"You've never been a good liar, sweetheart."

"It's a good thing I'm telling the truth then," she retorted, resting her shoulder on his head. Klaus wrapped his arms around Caroline, allowing her to lean back on his chest.

"What if it doesn't stop?" he said, concern lacing his words. Caroline shrugged.

"Then we'll take it a day at a time. You know, baby steps. I won't leave you if, that's what you're thinking. If they don't stop, I'll still be here."

"You say that now-"

"And I'll say it when, and _if_, the time comes. Right now, we should focus on what's ahead. The gala your mother is hosting will be in a week. If we want to get Shane, we have to be ready for anything." She could feel Klaus' chest move as he chuckled.

"Well, would you look at my girl? Getting straight to the ass kicking. Have you thought about the fact that Shane will be at my _mother's_ event? I don't exactly get along with them," he said quietly. Both of them kept their voices down, even though nobody lived around them. People still walked the streets at weird hours.

"But I'll be at your side. Besides, we're taking Damon and Elena. Since Damon is the big Wall Street man, that would surely impress your parents, right? Being friends with someone like him?"

"I'd prefer them to like _me_, but I suppose it should help with appearances. Not by much though."

"Well, if they don't love you like parents should, then we won't ever visit them again. The only reason we have to go to this is because Shane will be there."

"I'm surprised you want to actually go on this with me. I was hoping you'd want to stay here while I took care of everything. We're not leaving to go to Vegas until after Shane."

"Hey, you said it was either me or Elijah," she said, very matter-of-fact about it.

"Yes, but what I _really_ meant was Elijah," Klaus countered.

"You should have made that clearer before we played rock, paper, scissors for the spot of sidekick."

"You're joking," he deadpanned. Caroline giggled, snuggling into his chest more.

"Obviously," she said quietly. "…We thumb wrestled for it."

Klaus broke into a fit of laughter, and nuzzled his head into her hair, placing gentle kisses on her head. "Very funny. How about you worry about getting your sleep? We have more rigorous training tomorrow."

"No," she whined, jutting her lower lip out.

"Yes. No complaints. If you're going to be with me, you're going to know how to protect yourself."

"I know…I know," she said, realizing yet again how dangerous what they were about to attempt was going to be. But Klaus was right. She needed to do better at protecting herself. Elijah had taken her to a shooting range a few times to work on her aim. Caroline did better at that than she did with self-defense, but she wasn't bad. She got better each day.

For the remainder of the night, Klaus and Caroline sat outside in silence. By the time the sun rose, they were fast asleep, and dreaming of better things than criminals and awful parents, and whatever the hell plagued Klaus' mind. For now, they could be at peace.

* * *

"I'm not going to talk to them, Kol. Leave it alone," Elijah said firmly. Honestly, how was this man apart of _his_ family now? He had always been with Abigail, and far away from Elijah. As bad as he felt for Abigail's passing, he wished she had left something else to Mikael besides Kol.

"And why not," he continued to pester. "They're just sitting over there! Waiting for us to make a move. Why else would they come here for the past two months?"

"God forbid they might want to enjoy each others company," Elijah said sarcastically, shaking his head at Kol's logic. The man obviously didn't know anything about women. Elijah wasn't that much better, after being gone for so long, but he did know more than Kol it seemed.

Kol's eyes widened. "Do you think they're lesbians?" he asked hopefully. The boy couldn't be serious, could he?

"No, Kol. I do not." Elijah wished Klaus and Caroline would hurry up with their training. Elena was working, and Damon was off at some supposed "meeting." Elijah sincerely thought it was a ploy to get away from his rather irritating help.

"Oh well. You should still go talk to them."

"Perhaps I don't want to."

"Don't even try that shit on me," Kol smirked, leaning back on the couch they sat in. "Your eyes never leave that brunette when she comes strutting in."

"That is none of your concern," Elijah said calmly, sipping his tea. Did he have to be so observant? Or was it nosy, possibly? Saying he was observant would give him too much credit.

"But it is! If you get in with Katherine, then I have a better chance with her roommate. I know you've been out of the dating game for a while, but stick with me, and we'll be getting women like there's no tomorrow!"

"Do you ever think before you talk? Or do words just sort of spill out?" Elijah asked, looking at Kol in complete bewilderment. The younger man just shrugged.

"The latter. So will you go talk to them?"

"The answer is still no," Elijah said quietly.

"What about just Katherine then? Leave Bonnie to me," Kol said mischievously. Elijah suddenly wanted to talk to her as well, just to save the poor girl from Kol's attention.

"You haven't left me a lot to work with," he told Kol. The girls probably thought they were fucking lunatics.

"I'm sure you'll charm the pants right off of her anyway," Kol said confidently. Elijah rolled his eyes. It shouldn't have surprised him that such an annoying Mikaelson came from Mikael's side.

While he contemplated whether or not he should honestly try and speak with Katherine, the girl in question stood up. She was heading toward the counter to get another coffee. Maybe he could give it a go. He felt a certain pull to her. Elijah didn't know why, but she intrigued him, and all she had done was push Kol away without hesitation.

Maybe that was why he liked her.

"I'll be back," Elijah informed the other boy. Kol looked as if his cheeks would begin hurting from the smile on his face.

Very slowly, so he didn't look too eager, Elijah walked over to where Katherine stood. She was tapping her nails on the counter, impatiently waiting for her drink. Elena smiled at him when he leaned against the counter top.

"Hey, Elijah," she greeted him, putting cream in Katherine's coffee.

"Hello, Elena. Could you um, possibly put that on my bill?"

He could see Katherine's gaze shoot up.

"Are you sure?" Elena asked.

"Absolutely. It's on me," he said, looking to Katherine now. She didn't look happy.

"I can pay for my own drinks. Thanks," she said dryly.

"I was only trying to be polite."

"Well you can take your manners elsewhere. I don't need them," she sneered, looking him up and down before scoffing. "Such pristine clothes. Got a big business meeting later? Thought you'd hit on the first girl you saw in your down time?"

Elijah was taken aback by her brashness. He wore a suit because he was tired of wearing t-shirts and cargo pants. Two months later, and he still had every intention of enjoying the things he had missed while being imprisoned.

"No. No big business meeting later," he told her calmly. She didn't need to know why he dressed a certain way. That would be the most he divulged. He had given her the courtesy of not judging. Would she not give him the same?

"Sure," she scoffed in disbelief, taking her coffee. Katherine swayed her hips back to her friend, those impossibly high heels clicking as she did. Guess she wasn't going to be giving him the time of day.

"I'm sure she'll come around," Elena assured him. He gave her a small smile, and shook his head.

"I doubt that, but don't worry. I'm a patient man," he winked, getting up and going to sit next to Kol.

"What happened? What did she say?" What are my chances?" Kol asked eagerly. He obviously didn't waste any time. If Elijah couldn't crack the mystery that was Katherine, there was no way this boy would crack someone who happened to be her roommate. Surely they had similar viewpoints on life, men, etc. Elijah gave a small chuckle, going back to sipping his tea.

"You don't have a chance in hell," he told him with confidence. Neither of them had a chance in hell.

* * *

Caroline blocked another one of Klaus' hits. A Left hook, a right hook, and an uppercut. She avoided them all. His leg came up to kick her in the chest, but she grabbed his foot, and pushed him back. He remained on his feet, considering her strength wasn't that fabulous, but she was deflecting his hits. That's what mattered.

It had taken Caroline forever to get him to advance on her like this, but once he had, and realized that it needed to happen for her to truly learn, Klaus didn't hold back. He came at her full force, not wanting anything to surprise her when they left.

"Hit me, Caroline," Klaus demanded, his punches never ceasing. Her ponytail swung as she did a one eighty, going for a kick in the stomach, but Klaus blocked her. He held her foot, forcing Caroline to hop on the other to keep her balance.

"Make contact," he instructed.

"I'm trying!" Could he really not see that?

"Not hard enough!" he said with frustration. "Now make contact."

Klaus let go of her foot, and brought his around to kick her side. She moved in time to miss, and swept her leg out in front of her to trip him. She at least made contact with his calf, but it wasn't enough to make him fall. However, he did the same thing, and made her fall. Only he followed her to the ground, trying to pin her arms to the ground.

Luckily, she was getting faster, and moved to flip him over when he was reaching for her arms, so she was on top of him.

"Hit me," he demanded.

"Are you insane?! I pinned you already. Isn't that enough?" This was only practice. She shouldn't have to bruise him. If she even could. When, and if, the time came for her to knock someone's lights out, she'd know how. And she'd follow through with it.

"No. It's not. Bridge of the nose is sensitive. Hit me there. I want to see what damage you can do."

"Klaus!" Caroline wasn't going to hit him if she didn't have to! This was ridiculous!

"You have to be able to hit me."

"We've gone over this for weeks! I _can't_ hit you!" Why was he getting so worked up over this? Her training had been going really well. Did this have something to do with his dream last night?

"Then you'd better learn _how_," he said through gritted teeth. "I want you with me, but you can't be if you won't defend yourself."

"We've proved that I _can_ defend myself though!"

"I mean against _me_!" he said, his voice rising a little to try and get the point home. She got it all right. It was just something she had never considered.

"What?" She didn't like thinking about this.

"You need to be able to defend yourself…against me. This isn't just training for The Five. It's to help protect you against me as well."

"Klaus…I couldn't…I don't think I could—"

"You need to try," he said, more gently now. He brought his hand up to caress her cheek. "Where's my weak spot, love?"

"For you specifically, left shoulder, from where you injured it when you were younger. Nobody knows about it. For all the others, and for you too, use the usual spots. Eyes, groin, ribs, etc.," she recited perfectly.

"That's my girl," he smiled.

"Klaus, you've trained me. _You_. I'll be able to kick ass if the time comes. I learned from the best."

"Just watch out for yourself. Don't get cocky, and remember that there are no rules. You stay alive, understand?"

"Only if you do the same," she reminded him. Klaus always made sure to tell her at the end of their lessons about what could happen, and what she should remember to do. But what about what _he_ would do?

"I'll live," he said with finality. "I have a reward waiting for us."

"I've already told you—"

"I know. But you deserve better. You deserve a house, with a front yard you can watch your grandchildren play in."

"Klaus…" she smiled, leaning down and kissing him sweetly on the lips, "It won't mean anything unless you're there too. So don't play the hero, okay? Just do what you have to. And come back to me. You promised."

He stared at her in wonderment, as if after all this time, he still didn't believe she would stick around. No matter how many times she said this to him, she didn't think he would ever believe her. It was just going to take more time. Or she'd have to propose to him. Caroline thought that might be enough proof. But how would one propose to a man? Was there a man ring available for engagements?

"I won't break that promise to you," he said quietly, sounding more like a reassurance for his own sanity. "I won't."

"Good. Now let's go before our friends start wondering where we are," she smiled, kissing him one last time on the lips before getting off him. Klaus stood up, and took her hand in his. He then walked out of the classroom with her in tow. Together, they went outside, and headed for the coffee shop. Hopefully the group wasn't tearing each others throats out. Well…at least not Kol's hopefully.

When she walked through the front doors, she had been proven wrong.

"Excuse you! We were busy!" Rebekah shouted, storming over to Kol.

"I didn't know you'd be doing the nasty in a fucking broom closet!" he yelled back, his lips quivering to keep from smiling or laughing.

Caroline walked further in with Klaus, watching everything that was going on. Half the customers had disappeared. Or maybe they had just known not to go to the cafe in the first place. The leftover patrons were very obviously focusing on their conversations, or work. It made Caroline giggle.

"Would you all quiet down? I have a business to run here," Elena reprimanded the two bickering step-siblings.

"I don't care!" Rebekah shouted, her temper continuing to rise from what Kol had done. "He embarrassed me!"

"I think you're doing that just fine without my help," Kol said smugly. Rebekah's eyes widened, and it took all Matt had to hold her back.

"You grimy little worm!"

"It's okay, Becca. He's just baiting you. Ignore him."

Kol kept that arrogant grin on his face, and sauntered to the door. "I hate to leave this party, but I have a little baseball practice to attend. I'll see you all later. Especially you, love of my life," he said dreamily to Bonnie. The girl rolled her eyes and went back to talking with Katherine.

"He's going to get it one day," Rebekah said under her breath, combing her fingers through her ruffled hair.

Caroline hadn't seen her this worked up before. Normally she was such a sweet girl, at least to Caroline. Then again, she had given Caroline a subtle warning about not hurting Klaus' feelings. So there was that. Klaus had also told Caroline about Rebekah's ass kicking to her ex. Caroline wished she could have seen that.

"Have you heard from Tyler?" Elena asked, a lot calmer now that Kol was gone.

"He said his mother was doing well, but he thinks his place is there for now. I told him we all missed him and said hi," Caroline told her.

She could see Klaus' face tighten up for a second, before he let it slide, and walked over to Elijah. He still hadn't accepted the idea of Tyler coming back to New York. She understood why, but that didn't make her heart hurt any less. Elijah had said very clearly that he was okay with Tyler being around. Of course, if he ever tried to kill him again, Elijah wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet between his eyes.

None of Elijah's words convinced Klaus, however. He wanted to snap Tyler's neck.

Because of this, Caroline wasn't upset Tyler was still out of town. It wasn't time for him to come back yet. Besides, his mother still needed him. Caroline didn't know when Mrs. Lockwood's time would be up.

Caroline absentmindedly twirled the compass that was around her neck.

"Tell him to take his time whenever you two talk again," Elena said gently, patting Care on the shoulder affectionately. The blonde nodded, and walked over to where the Mikaelson brothers sat, both looking at a spot of tea that had appeared on Elijah's tie.

"No, no, no. This was my favorite tie," Elijah said, shaking his head at the tiny stain.

"I'll wash it, Elijah," Caroline giggled, immediately going to untie the knot. Elijah pursed his lips.

"I'm not a child. I can undo it myself."

"Just let me fuss over you," she smiled, whipping the tie off, and folding it neatly for when she took it upstairs.

"There is no arguing with her, brother. When she sets her mind to something, she won't stop until she gets it," Klaus informed the eldest, a teasing half-grin spreading over his lips.

"Or someone," Rebekah said quietly, giving Caroline an appreciative smirk. Caroline gave her a knowing wink, understanding exactly what she was talking about. It wasn't her fault that Klaus had intrigued her interests so much.

"Hey, I have to go somewhere after I take this upstairs. Would you like to come with me, Klaus?" Caroline asked quietly. His eyebrows rose, knowing what she was talking about. He always knew.

"You really want me to go?"

"Yea…I do." It was a little unexpected, but thinking about Tyler's mom made her realize that with this assignment coming up, there might not be many more chances to go on a small field trip. Klaus nodded, getting up and throwing the group a small smile.

"Where are you going?" Elijah asked them.

"Caroline is taking me to finally meet one of her friends."

"You have friends besides us?" Elena giggled. Caroline laughed too, because she hadn't told Elena about where she had been visiting for the past two months. Ever since knowledge of The Five came to be, she needed someone to vent to. Staring out her window didn't always fill that need either. Klaus was the only one who knew she made the visits.

"Not many. You guys are my family, and always will be," Caroline smiled

"I was only kidding, Care. Go take care of your business. We'll be here when you get back."

Caroline smiled, offered her hand to Klaus, and walked upstairs to her apartment with him. It was time for Klaus to meet her best friend.

* * *

Klaus and Caroline trekked up the hillside, heading for the tombstone under the willow tree. It had been a decent drive, but she knew it by heart now. And it always flew by. She smiled, waving toward the one she was there to visit.

"This is Stefan. My best friend."

"Ugly looking bloke," Klaus teased quietly. She giggled, pushing him slightly before kneeling down in front of the gravestone.

"Be serious."

"Okay, okay," he said, kneeling down next to her, and clearing his throat. "Stefan, my name is Klaus. I'm sorry I never got the chance to meet you. Caroline tells me nothing but great stories about you. I think we would have gotten along had we met."

"You guys would have been great together," Caroline said softly, running her fingers over the letters in Stefan's name.

"If I can get along with his brother, than I think I would have gotten along with him."

"The Salvatore brothers. A duo that should never have been broken up," she laughed. Klaus watched her stare at the tombstone, and smiled.

"I'll go wait in the car, sweetheart. Take all the time you need. I'm glad I was finally able to meet your best friend."

"I'm sure he's glad too," she said, her voice cracking a little. Klaus kissed her gently on the forehead, and then got up to walk back to his car. She smiled, and sat cross-legged on the soft grass.

"Hey Stefan…I'd say it's me again, but I'm aware you already know that. I know you see everything, you little brat," she chuckled. Caroline hadn't forgotten about what he told her, as weird as that sounded. That time spent with him had not once left her memories, or faded in the least.

"I forgot how long it's been since I came here…maybe a week? Time's going way too fast these days. I came here to say, for the millionth time, that I don't want to Klaus to go on this trip. I think that if I go with him, it will help, but I'm afraid something will happen. I'm afraid that he won't come back to me," she whispered. A gust of wind hit her face, and it only made her cry more. Now she was over analyzing.

"I don't know what to do. I'm about to meet his parents, _and_ try to kill a member of an elite crime organization. All in one place. How's that for unique circumstances? Where are you to join us when I need you to? You would win his parents over with your outstanding works of writing. I'm sure Klaus' father will love the businessman in Damon though. I will never understand Wall Street," she shook her head, still smiling. Stefan wouldn't have gone to a big party probably. He would have only gone if she twisted his arm about it.

"All I want is for Klaus and I to go live together in our apartment, and for us to be happy. You told me to stay alive. I _want_ to stay alive. And now we're both about to risk everything. I'm so scared, Stefan. I'm so, so scared." She let a couple tears slip out, but quickly wiped them away.

"The only thing I can do is be there for him I guess. Make sure he doesn't kill himself. I can't talk him out of going, so I have to go too. It's not like he can't take of himself, but I still worry he'll over estimate his abilities. I guess I just can't let that happen, can I?" she smiled. It wasn't like Caroline Forbes to give up on someone so easily. The only person she had thought of giving up on was herself, but Stefan, and everyone else in her life, made her realize how foolish that had been. She would never give up.

"If…and that's a big _if_…Klaus joins you, would you make sure he gets a good slap for dying on me? Please? And then after…would you make sure he isn't lonely? If I can't be with him, then someone needs to be. Someone needs to be his friend," she smiled. Caroline didn't enjoy thinking about that, but she would be an idiot to ignore it completely. Anything could happen.

"I love you, Stefan. I always will. See you when this is all over, okay? Not in the literal sense but...you know what I mean. We can talk during the trip, but I'll be back to visit your grave personally when this is finished. And I'll be damn sure to bring Klaus with me… but remember what I said, in case the universe is working against me. I need to know he'll be safe no matter where he is. I can only keep him safe on earth. You have to takeover up there though. You'd have to be his friend. For me."

Caroline nodded, and stood up, wiping away any remnants of tears shed. With a final, deep breath, she patted his tombstone, and started off toward the car. The wind blew against her body, and she felt calmed. Like he had heard her, and would fulfill her wishes should that awful moment ever come. But it wouldn't. She'd make sure it never happened.

As Caroline was walking away, she didn't realize that someone had truly tried to comfort her.

She didn't see the angel leaning against the tree, smiling at her backside while she strolled toward the man waiting for her.

She didn't hear how the angel promised to always protect her, and the people that she loved.

He couldn't tell her how he would always love her too, and how he would respect her wishes, should the time ever come. He couldn't tell Caroline how much faith he had in her to keep both Klaus, and herself, alive.

Because Caroline was strong, and nobody but Klaus knew that as much as Stefan did.

* * *

**A/N: And we're back!**

**Hope this was a good first chapter, and I hope everyone is as excited as I am to continue our journey!  
**

**Beautiful graphic made by the amazing Mel (dhfreak)  
**

**Until next time my loves! Don't forget to review and tell me your thoughts! =]  
**


	2. Have Faith

"I told you to go do it yourself!" Caroline said to the ever-annoying Mikaelson. Kol just continued to stare at her, causing her to feel very uncomfortable. This had been going on for at least fifteen minutes.

"But they'd like you so much more. Please?" he begged. She wasn't having it though.

"No. Now go before I find Rebekah!" Caroline threatened.

"Leaving," Kol said obediently, shuffling off to the door, and exiting the café.

"I thought he'd never go," Elena said, walking casually over to where Caroline sat. The girls giggled, and Caroline shook her head.

"I don't know how Damon handles him. That is a puzzle I will never solve."

"There is no puzzle to solve," Elena informed, laying her feet across Caroline's lap. "He _doesn't_ handle him. Why do you think he's gone so much?"

"Secret affair with a sexy co-worker?" she guessed. Elena raised a disapproving eyebrow.

"I don't think so," she said with certainty. "No one would tolerate him like I do."

"That's what all girlfriends say. Then _bam_. They find their beau on top of a slutty red head, with no qualms about kinky behavior."

"Real funny, Care," Elena deadpanned.

"I thought it was kind of funny," a girl said from behind them.

Caroline and Elena turned around to see Bonnie standing there, her legs crossed while she played with her fingers. Why did she seem so nervous? Oh! Poor thing probably thought she was interrupting their conversation, when all she wanted was a cup of coffee. Elena seemed to be having the same thoughts as well.

"I'm so sorry," the brunette apologized, standing up so she could go ring in Bonnie's order. "What would you like?"

"Oh no! I didn't want to order anything. I just…thought I'd come say hi. Is that weird?" she asked. It was strange, since Caroline always saw her as a woman almost as tough as Katherine. Why was she being so timid now? Was this a trick? A bet between the two girls perhaps?

"No! No of course not. But don't you normally hang out with that friend of yours?" Caroline asked sincerely. She didn't want to use names. It might be considered creepy that she knew who they were, without any prior introduction. Bonnie shrugged.

"Yea, Katherine. But she had a date. Left early so she could get ready. You guys always seem really friendly, and I thought I would just try talking to you. I don't know many people around here."

"Oh? New to New York, or this part of the city?" Elena asked, wearing a perfectly genuine smile as she sat on the sofa's side.

"This part of the city. I got a job as a veterinarian, and Katherine is my secretary and roommate. So we moved here."

"Okay, forgive me for bringing up the elephant in the room," Caroline interjected, "but you normally seem kind of…"

"Intense?" Bonnie cringed a little. Caroline nodded.

"Yea. That."

"Katherine and I normally keep our guard up when we go out. Not because of you or anything. More because of men like your friend. Kol, right?"

"That's Kol for you," Caroline sighed. "He's pretty harmless though, if that helps any. Just annoying."

"Not all guys are like that. We can never be too careful. Katherine has a bad past, so we always watch ourselves," Bonnie shrugged. "The way she acts isn't a front. She really is distant, and she really will kick your ass if necessary. So don't try and talk to her unless she comes to you first. That's why her dates never last."

"But you're not like that?" Elena asked, curious. Bonnie shook her head.

"I try not to be. I'm sorry if I've come off like that. It wasn't my intention to run you off. Just Kol."

"Well," Caroline began, sticking her hand out, "I'm Caroline, and this is Elena. We'll be taking the position of new friends now." Bonnie smiled, and grabbed her hand.

"I'm Bonnie. It's a pleasure to meet you two. But don't you normally hang out in a bigger crowd? I'm pretty sure all the business comes from your friends," she laughed.

"There are normally a lot more, but you'll be introduced to them soon enough. My boyfriend and his brother are across the street, teaching self-defense classes. And Elena's boyfriend is currently at work. Or hiding from Kol…one of the two. Rebekah and her boyfriend, Matt, are probably off at his bookstore, or having sex. And then Kol just ran off because he was annoying me," Caroline explained. Bonnie looked at her with wide eyes, nodding slowly as she took it all in.

"Oh," she said simply. "You guys are all tightly knit, aren't you?"

"Kind of," Elena chuckled. "We're a family, and there's nothing we wouldn't do for each other. I know it might be kind of intimidating at first, but trust me, you'll fit right in." Bonnie smiled; comforted slightly it seemed by Elena's reassurance. Caroline didn't blame the girl for being wary. She would be frightened walking into a group like theirs too.

"Thank you guys…really. It means a lot to me. I…I haven't been a part of a family in a really long time. Katherine has kind of been my only friend for a few years, and it's been great, but I know she needs a break every now and then._ I_…need a break every now and then," Bonnie confessed.

"It's okay! We're glad to meet new people. We should all have a girls night sometime," Caroline suggested, but then had to backtrack a little. "I'm going with my boyfriend on a trip soon, but when we get back, definitely a girls night for all four of us. The extra being Rebekah. I think you'll like her. She's tough, but secretly a softie. Just like you," she beamed.

"That sounds great. And where are you going with your boyfriend?"

"Don't know really," Caroline lied. "Traveling around the states, maybe even going to Europe! So I'm not sure how long we'll be gone, but I'm not backing out of my promise to you. We will have our night to initiate you into the group properly. No Kol allowed."

"What about a Damon?" he asked as he entered the little café, reading from a journal. Caroline rolled her eyes, and Elena just smiled.

"Sorry," the brunette told him, "But it's all girls. No men or children permitted."

"I have binoculars," he sang, plopping down beside Caroline. The blonde looked down at what he was reading.

"How many times have you looked over that?" she asked quietly.

"More times than I can count. I still can't believe everything was under the floorboard. _Everything_," he breathed in disbelief.

"It's been months, Damon. I'm sure Stefan wouldn't want you pouring over those all the time," she advised softly. He nodded reluctantly, closing the book.

"I know. I just…it helps."

"We know," Elena comforted him.

"I should probably go you guys," Bonnie said quietly, but Caroline waved her hands.

"No, it's okay. Bonnie, this is Damon, Elena's boyfriend. Damon, this is our new friend Bonnie."

Damon looked a little confused for a second, but nodded and waved to her. Bonnie waved back, giving him a small smile as she sat back in her chair. Caroline shared a smile with Elena.

This was good for their little group. It was about time they got a new face.

* * *

"Are you sure that you still want to go through with this, Niklaus?" Elijah asked as the rest of the self-defense class made their way out of the studio. Klaus nodded, sure of his plan.

"I hate lying to her, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. She wants to help."

"Do you really think I would be able to stop her?" Elijah argued. Klaus smiled.

"She wouldn't make a scene at our parents' party. She wants to make a good impression. Who better to persuade her than you?" It was something he admired about Caroline, how she wanted to make him look like a victorious man in front of his parents, even if it was getting in the way of his plans. But nothing she could say or do would make that happen.

"_You_? Niklaus, she loves you. If you asked, I'm sure she would agree to stay with me. All you have to do is tell her I'm going. Don't surprise her like this."

"She would never agree, and you know that, brother. Caroline would insist on helping so that I don't get myself killed."

"It won't come as a surprise to her that I'm there. It is our _family_ throwing the ball. Surely she would think of any possible way you could stop her."

"I've pretended to go along with it thus far. If I had it my way, she wouldn't go at all. Ever since we got the papers though, she has been determined. And you know how Caroline is when she has her mind set on something."

"I'm very aware of what she's like," Elijah chuckled. Klaus remembered both of them describing their time together in Thailand. Of course he would know how she got.

"Do you think this will end well? What happens when we go to Vegas? Europe? What will I do? She has to be around for the nightmares. You have to be around to protect her. But I don't want _either_ of you around The Five. I can't win in this, Elijah."

"Caroline is strong, Niklaus. She will be able to take care of herself if the time comes, and you will be able to kill them without her getting hurt. I think it might be good for the both of you if she goes along on your missions. Start her out on something simple if you must. But from my experience with her, I have no worries."

"I can't make her stay away if she doesn't want to though."

"And that is why you are training her."

"No! I'm training her to fight _me_, not _them_."

"Do you truly think yourself a worse enemy than The Five?"

"Yes," Klaus answered with certainty. The Five were dangerous; there was no question about that. But Klaus was being sent to kill them for a reason. It was because he could, when no one else was capable.

"Do you believe Caroline is able to defend herself against _them_ yet?" he continued. Klaus nodded.

"I have faith in _her_. She's getting better with her fighting, and she is undoubtedly resourceful. However, it's _them_ I have concerns about. I can't predict what they'll do!"

"Just as you can't predict what you'll do should you snap?"

"Yes…yes, exactly," Klaus sighed, sitting down on the floor, and leaning his head back. Elijah joined him, gazing over Klaus with worry.

"Caroline will witness what is necessary to kill a member tomorrow night. I will be there, should assistance be required. But Niklaus, if you do not think she can handle The Five, then why are you still with her, if you are such a worse enemy?"

"I'm in love with her, Elijah. I'm in too deep. Do you know how badly I wanted to break up with her the night she was in the hospital? How badly I wanted to set her free? But I was selfish, and I couldn't. All because she whispered sweet words to me, and told me it would all be okay. Do you understand how comforting that is to hear? And now that my nightmares have worsened, I can't let her go. I have you back, but now I can't lose her either." Damn all the fucked up situations he got himself into.

"Then truly put your faith in her, Niklaus. You say you have, but I'm not so sure. She has already proven to come back to you once. Know that she will do it again."

"I don't want to take that risk, Elijah. This is idiotic, and a surefire way to fail."

"I guess we'll find out when the ball comes, now won't we?"

"Why are you taking her side? You know how important she is to me."

"And I know how important you are to her. And to me," Elijah said gently, patting Klaus' shoulder affectionately. Klaus let out a sigh of defeat. Between the two of them, there was no way he would win this battle. Caroline would go, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

When, exactly, had he become such a pushover? When did he start taking orders from his stubborn girl?

"You had better keep her safe, brother."

"I would never let anything happen to her," Elijah assured. Klaus nodded, and stood up soon after. They were done in the studio. He had a girl to see about.

"Let's go before I finally realize we're all insane."

* * *

Later that night, Caroline sauntered around her apartment while Klaus sat on the couch, watching her dance around the place like she was as free as a bird. She felt like it. Tomorrow would be the day she proved to Klaus that she could keep him safe. Not just mentally, but physically.

It would be her time to shine. And this time, she wouldn't end up in the hospital.

"I know you don't want me to go. That's obvious. But I promise I'll do everything you ask of me," Caroline reassured. Klaus' eyebrows rose in disbelief.

"Then don't go."

"Except that," she added quickly.

"I'm getting antsy, Caroline. I don't like this."

"I have to meet your parents at some point or another."

"How about another?" Klaus suggested. Caroline shook her head.

"I'd rather go when they're having a ball, and I can show them just how classy I am. You want them to be proud of me, don't you?"

"I really don't give a rat's ass what they think," he shrugged. "And they have balls all the time."

"Well, I do," she frowned. "It's important to me that they don't win. They can't think you've lost at life, when they're the ones missing out on knowing such a great man. A great _son_."

"My first, and only concern, is that you stay alive. I don't care what they think of me. I don't care if they never talk to me again. I. Don't. Care," Klaus said slowly, enunciating each word.

"I don't either," Caroline agreed, "But I want to show them that you made it. That you came out alive."

"We don't know that for sure yet," Klaus reminded her.

Caroline sighed. This was going nowhere. Besides, she would be fooling herself if this were really about his parents. All Caroline really wanted to do was show Klaus that she could take care of herself. That she could defend herself from any threat, be it The Five or his nightmares. She could protect herself, even with Damon and Elena being there to help with the parental issues. Nobody would take her life, or her friends' lives.

"How about tonight," she started, straddling Klaus' lap, "We forget about The Five. We forget about everything we have to do tomorrow, and we enjoy our time together."

"We need to stay focused, Caroline. This isn't a joke. We can't take this lightly."

"That's not what I'm suggesting. I want to ease your mind, not distract it."

"It's all the same, sweetheart," Klaus said, running his hands up her thighs. "The Five are dangerous…more dangerous than Walker could ever be. I would never be able to satisfy you while I think of every possible way they could take you from me."

"Nobody is taking me away from you!" she exclaimed, tired of repeating herself. Why was he so upset now? A week ago he was okay with her going.

"_They_ will!" Klaus retorted, gently pushing her off his lap so that he could stand.

"Why are you fighting me on this?" she asked.

"Why are _you_? After all we've been through, do you not trust me when I say that this is life threatening, and you shouldn't be attending this event with me? Why must you insist on doing this to me?" he asked desperately. Caroline shook her head. He wouldn't sway her decision. She wouldn't let him.

"And do you not trust me, when I say that I can take care of myself, and I'll make it out alive? I'm doing this to show you that you don't have to be overprotective with me!"

"That's ridiculous!" he shouted, their argument becoming more heated now. "The fact remains that you should be staying here, out of harms way. That has nothing to do with being overprotective, and everything to do with common sense! Fucking hell, Damon and Elena shouldn't even be going. I agreed to let them go to make you happy, but I can see now that was a stupid fucking decision, because the only way you'll ever be happy is if you're in the line of fire and risking your life over _nothing_!"

"Keeping you alive isn't nothing!" she said, standing up so she could be right in front of him.

"I can take care of myself!"

"And I can't?"

"No! _You can't_!" he yelled at her, causing Caroline's eyes to widen. He mirrored her expression as soon as he realized what had come out of his mouth.

"So my training hasn't gotten any better?" she asked quietly, still fuming from his lack of faith in her. "It was a lie?"

"It wasn't a lie," he said quietly, running his fingers through his hair. "I just don't think you're ready for The Five. Not yet."

"Yea…well we'll see about that. I'll show you that I _have_ improved. I've improved enough to take on The Five."

"Caroline…"

"No. Don't start that with me. In fact, I think you should leave…" she said, trailing off when a thought hit her. Caroline sighed. "No. Don't leave. But I think you should sleep on the couch tonight. I, however, am off to bed. Goodnight, and I'll see you tomorrow. Leave without me and I'll come anyway."

Caroline smiled, and strolled over to her bed, sure she had won this argument. But she hadn't. And the sad part was that she knew it. Caroline understood where Klaus was coming from, and she wanted to make him happy. She knew why he was upset, and understandably so. But he couldn't worry about her twenty-four seven, and she had to prove that to him. She had to prove that not even The Five frightened her.

Not as much as losing Klaus did.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites. It makes me so happy to know you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.**

**I also hope this chapter helps explain why Klaus may have appeared a little ooc last chapter. I intend for them to kick butt together, but there have to be problems along the way, now don't there? ;)**

**Until next time! =]  
**


	3. A Change of Heart

The day had arrived for everyone to go to the big Mikaelson ball. The day had arrived for Klaus to make his first move on The Five.

Caroline couldn't contain the butterflies in her stomach.

She sat on her bed, twirling her gloved fingers. The thought of how Klaus was even going to do this worried her. How was he going to make this discreet? Eventually, someone would notice Shane was dead. Would Klaus make it look like an accident? Would he not care how he went about the job? Surely there was a way to get Shane alone. How though?

There were so many variables to consider, and none of them had answers yet. And worse, she was beginning to doubt herself. What if Klaus was right? What if she should just stay home, and let him take care of business just this once? She would be with him the rest of the time. Missing out this once wouldn't hurt.

But what if this was the one time he needed her? What about his parents? Sure, she could meet them some other time, but she wanted to be able to impress them in their territory. And their territory was lavish parties, and the life of the rich. If for some reason she couldn't do that while Klaus was still…well…she wasn't going to think of that. It was too dark a thought to even consider in this time.

Caroline heard a knock at her door, bringing her out of her reverie. She walked over to the door, and saw through the peephole that it was Elena, all dressed and prepared to go. Damon must have been downstairs, waiting for them to come down.

"Hey," Caroline greeted as she opened the door. "You look beautiful."

"So do you," Elena smiled, giving Caroline a tight hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Scared," the blonde admitted. "And any other word that is similar."

"We're all going to be fine. No one will suspect anything with Damon and I going. It looks like just another group outing," Elena told her.

"Right. Sure," Caroline muttered.

"I'm serious. Now take a deep breath, the men are waiting for us."

"How is Klaus?" Caroline asked, letting Elena drag her out of the apartment.

"Quiet. We can't get a word out of him."

"Terrific," she sighed, thinking for the millionth time that she should just listen to Klaus to make him happy. Of course he had a small point, but he had to know that he couldn't worry about her constantly. He had to trust that she would be okay.

"He'll come around. Not if you start freaking out though," Elena said, trying to calm her. It wasn't working.

"But what if this guy kills everyone? We don't know what he's like!"

"Then we can scope that out when we get there. Just focus on talking to Klaus' parents. That should be enough to occupy your thoughts."

"Oh, because that helps so much!" Caroline hissed, carefully walking down the stairs so she wouldn't trip in her heels.

"We're going to go in circles if we don't stop, Caroline," Elena sighed. "Just stop worrying about it."

"Not likely," she said, rolling her eyes.

The two finally reached the bottom of the stairs, looking around for their dates. Klaus and Damon sat awkwardly together on one of the couches, looking anywhere but at each other. Caroline smiled at how he still was around others. He might have been getting better at socializing, but he would always be reluctant to engage in any conversation that wasn't with his family or Caroline.

When they saw the girls in their dresses, both Damon and Klaus stood up quickly, their eyes raking over their date. Damon gave that smug grin of his as he walked toward Elena, moving to wrap his arm around her shoulders.

Klaus, on the other hand, kept staring at Caroline from where he stood. She could feel her cheeks heat up from his unwavering gaze. Why did he always have to look at her like that whenever she got dressed up? It made her so self-conscious.

She walked slowly over to him, and twirled once, showing off her blue dress. Since their fight the night before, they hadn't said much to each other that day, but Caroline could see his anger was fading away, if not already nonexistent. However, it couldn't last. They would be walking on eggshells the whole night. An argument was bound to arise. It was only a matter of when.

"You look stunning," Klaus told her softly, giving her the tiniest of smiles.

"And you clean up nicely," she returned; taking the time to appreciate the tux he wore.

"I believe you're the one who told me what to wear," he smiled, winking to her before offering an arm.

She took it gratefully, glancing back to see Elena and Damon talking in their own little world. They didn't have to worry as much as she did tonight. And that was something Caroline envied. Why couldn't she just worry about impressing Klaus' parents? Why did all of this have to go on as well?

Outside, a limo waited for them, something Caroline wasn't expecting. So he was going all out tonight.

"We could have just taken your car, Klaus. You didn't have to do this," she told him quietly.

"If it were up to me, we would have," he informed her, a hint of disgust in his tone. "This was made possible because of Mikael and Esther. Couldn't have their son arrive in anything that isn't the best."

Caroline patted his arm gently, letting him lead her toward the lavish car. For some reason, this night felt more like a sentencing than anything else. The closer they got to the ball, the more she wanted to run in the opposite direction, and never go against Klaus' word again. But that wasn't right either. This had to be done for both of them to have any peace of mind.

But none of that kept her stomach from twisting into painful knots. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

The Mikaelson Manor was massive, and anyone who thought it wasn't worthy of the title "extravagant" had obviously not seen the place in person.

Caroline sat silently as they drove up to the estate, peering out her window to watch all the bustling that went on. It might have been a couple hours since the party officially started, but people were still coming in by the masses. Men and women dressed in fancy clothing entered the finely lit home, talking amongst themselves. She couldn't help trying to spot Shane, but there was no sign of him. Caroline was sure she had memorized the picture in his file after only a couple of days.

Klaus hadn't said anything for the entire car ride over, and Caroline was beginning to worry about him more so than she already had been. What was he thinking about? Was there anything she could do to ease his troubled mind? Well…that was probably a stupid question. If she had wanted to do that, she should have stayed home.

The limo pulled up to the front of the mansion, and a man standing outside in uniform opened their door for them. Damon and Elena went first, closely followed by Klaus and Caroline. Her arm looped through Klaus', and she noticed his grip felt much firmer than before. He was getting nervous too.

When they entered the house, Caroline was assaulted by elegant decorations, the murmur of chattering, and soft, classical music playing in the background. Waiters walked around with flutes of champagne on trays, and the large foyer was packed with people as everyone entered around the same time.

What she hadn't been expecting was Rebekah and Matt talking to Klaus' parents in the corner. And from the tightening sensation on her arm, she could guess that Klaus hadn't either.

"What are they doing here?" She whispered in his ears, staring at the couple in horror.

"I have no fucking idea," he said through gritted teeth. Caroline wondered if they had even known to stay away from the gala.

"What do we do now?" Caroline asked, ready to do whatever he asked.

"We're going to make an appearance with my parents first, like nothing is wrong. Then I'm going to go off and do what I came here to do."

"You mean _we_?"

"I mean _me_," he corrected, staring at her seriously.

"What? You're going to leave me alone with your parents while I'm worried about your well-being?" She hissed angrily, low enough so only he would hear. "We're supposed to do this together."

"I wanted you to stay home," he corrected her again. "And you won't be alone with them."

"Klaus, what are you—"

"You look exquisite, Caroline," a cordial voice complimented from her other side.

There stood Elijah, looking just as handsome as Klaus in his tux. It all clicked when she saw him standing there, waiting expectantly.

"You both are complete assholes," she fumed quietly, still trying to contain her anger so everyone didn't see. How was she supposed to do anything now?

"I simply took extra precaution to keep you safe tonight," Klaus told her simply. "But apparently, I have more than just you to worry about."

"Rebekah and Matt will be no problem. If anything, they add to the image of normalcy," Elijah assured him, extending his arm for Caroline to take.

She sighed in defeat, looping her arm through Elijah's. Wonderful. She was going to be babysat the entire night, while Klaus went and risked his life. Caroline could only hope that Shane wasn't going to be as tough as the others. There was no way for her to protest this atrocity without causing a commotion, and she didn't want to do that.

The three of them walked together to Esther and Mikael, smiling as convincingly as they could. Well, Elijah and Caroline at least. Klaus' face remained stoic as they approached the two people in the world he tried to push aside the most. Damon and Elena had already greeted the group, and were talking animatedly. Rebekah and Matt smiled at their arrival, Rebekah doing so a bit nervously. Caroline could see that she _did_ know being here would upset Klaus. But Caroline couldn't blame her for going despite that.

"Elijah, my dear," Esther greeted, moving to give him a quick hug. She turned to Klaus, and gave him a polite smile. "Niklaus."

"Mother," Klaus said curtly, nodding once in acknowledgment.

"And who is this young lady?" Esther questioned, gesturing to Caroline.

"This is Caroline, mother. The one I was telling you about?" Elijah answered.

"Oh, right. Niklaus' girlfriend, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you," Caroline greeted, bowing her head slightly as though Esther was a royal family member.

"The feeling is mutual," she told Caroline courteously. Esther then touched Mikael's shoulder affectionately, looking back at Caroline after. "This is my husband, Mikael. We're both happy to welcome you into our home."

Caroline was surprised at how polite Esther was being to her. Maybe she had misjudged how his mother would react to Klaus having a girlfriend? Or maybe their relationship wasn't good enough for her to warrant such a reaction. Mikael, on the other hand, gave her a look that suggested more of the disgust she had been expecting.

"I'm surprised Niklaus could manage to find a date," he scoffed, taking a sip from his champagne.

"Always good to see you, Mikael," Klaus said sarcastically, cocking his head a bit in irritation.

"I can't say the same, boy," the older man spat, choosing to turn to Damon as if nothing had just happened. "Shall we adjourn to the ballroom?"

Damon and Elena looked sympathetically at Klaus, before reluctantly following Mikael away. Caroline was fuming though. How dare he walk away before she had the chance to give him a piece of her mind? Then again, it probably wasn't the best time to do so. But…if Klaus was going to make her stay with Elijah, what else did she have to do? Caroline was conflicted.

"I told you this was a bad idea," he whispered to Caroline when Esther wasn't paying attention. "I should have just came here by myself, and took care of business."

"The night isn't over yet," Caroline reminded him quietly.

"But it will be shortly," he informed her, letting go of Caroline's arm. "I'm going to go find Shane. Stay with Elijah, I mean it. The sooner we get this over with, the better."

Placing a quick kiss to her lips, Klaus began moving through the crowd before she had a chance to fight him more on the matter. That was it?! That was his goodbye before running off to kill a member of The Five?! No. That was not acceptable!

Caroline was about to storm off after him, when Elijah stood in her way. She tried to move around him, but he continued to get in her way. Eventually, she stopped to give him her most menacing glare.

"Move," she demanded.

"No," he replied kindly. "I can't let you go do something you'll regret."

"I won't regret it," she argued, trying once more to get around him. Elijah stopped her by putting his arm out to grab her hand. He quickly started walking in the opposite direction, away from Esther, and away from where Klaus had gone.

"Then I can't let you do something Klaus will regret."

"What if he needs us? You should know better than anyone that it's ridiculous for you to babysit me!"

"Perhaps. But I know you mean too much to him for us to risk you getting harmed," he told her calmly. "As for myself, I would also hate to see you get hurt."

"You know I can handle myself," she tried to reason with him.

"And I know how dangerous The Five are. While I would be more lenient than Klaus, I must follow his wishes. You are not my girlfriend."

"But I am your friend." Caroline looked at him, pleading silently for him to let her go help. "Please…let me go."

Elijah sighed heavily, gazing sadly at her. "I'm sorry, Caroline. I can't do that."

"It isn't right to keep me tied up like some possession of his," she hissed quietly. "I am a person, not a toy."

"You are a very valuable person, so _please_…drop this," he begged her.

Caroline listened for now, not knowing what else to do. This was obviously going nowhere. She watched as Elijah grabbed two champagne glasses from a waiter walking by, and offered her one of them. Taking the glass, she downed about half of the flute in one gulp. So now what? Was she supposed to stand around tapping her feet while Klaus went gallivanting off?

"How long will this take Klaus?" She asked Elijah curiously.

"You have seen his handiwork. Once he locates Shane, and assesses the surroundings, it can be taken care of rather quickly and quietly."

"Hmm. I still don't like this," she huffed, looking around the large room without realizing she was actually trying to spot Shane.

"Clearly," he chuckled, taking a sip of champagne.

Caroline tried to not get lost in her thoughts, thinking about every way someone could get the upper hand on Klaus without him knowing. Thankfully, and at the same time unfortunately, her distraction came in the form of Damon, Elena, and Mikael walking to where she stood with Elijah. They were all laughing in delight.

"Elijah, my boy," Mikael said cheerfully, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "You should hear the story Damon just told me about what happened at his work the other day."

"I'm sure it's enthralling," Elijah deadpanned.

"I'd love to hear it," Caroline smiled, trying to engage in conversation with Mikael.

As Damon continued smiling, and was about to tell her the story, Mikael waved his hand dismissively. "I don't think you would understand, dear."

Caroline raised her eyebrow at him, her lips twitching from the hateful words she wanted to throw at him. Had he really just said that?

Damon wasn't smiling anymore, and the other three were silent from the shock of Mikael's words. Caroline stood a little straighter as she faced Mikael, her face showing the rage contained within her. What an imbecile of a man.

"Maybe, maybe not. But that's not your decision to make. I can see now why Klaus never bothers to come here. There really is no good in your heart."

"I would watch what you say, girl," Mikael warned, pointing a finger at her. "This is my house, and I _will_ have you thrown out."

"Mikael," Elijah said calmly, "there is no need for this. Caroline is our friend, and a very intelligent woman."

"I see you've been hanging around Niklaus for too long," Mikael muttered, throwing back the rest of his glass.

"And he's a better man for it," Caroline retorted. "We wouldn't want him to be like you, now would we?"

"You listen to me you little har—"

"I think it best you go back to mother," Elijah interjected before Mikael could get any farther in his rant. "We don't want to cause a scene."

"After tonight, I never want to see you in my house again," Mikael threatened. "Is that clear?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Caroline sneered. She would never make the mistake of trying to impress Klaus' parents again. He was right. There was a reason he had stayed away for so long. Mikael walked quickly away, almost shoving people aside to get to his wife.

"I am so sorry, Caroline," Elena comforted her.

"Don't be. This is my own fault. I should have listened to Klaus. We shouldn't be here," Caroline said, finally realizing her mistake. This was all idiotic. She would have saved everyone the trouble if she had stopped being stubborn for just a second, and stayed home.

"We should be out of here very soon," Elijah assured her. "I cannot say what will happen in Vegas, but as for tonight, all we can do is wait it out."

"Did Klaus recruit you for our Vegas trip too?" Caroline asked, afraid that she was never going to be free of Elijah's watchful eye until all five members were dead.

"No. I won't have to, will I?" He asked her pointedly.

"No…" she said quietly, shaking her head. "You won't. I'm staying in the hotel room when we go. I won't make the same mistake twice."

She was still worried about Klaus, but if this was the outcome of her plans, then it was best to go along with Klaus'. Anything to ease his mind was honestly for the best, so why not just go with what he wanted?

Of course, the universe was going to make sure she truly learned her lesson before letting her off the hook so easily. Caroline was about to take another sip of champagne when the most unexpected event of the night happened. Shots began ringing out through the whole mansion, and it wasn't indicating that Shane was dead.

The whole place was under fire.

Chaos ensued immediately after the first shot, and people began screaming to get out as fast as they could. Caroline didn't understand what was going on. Was this Shane's retaliation for finding out that Klaus wanted to kill him?

"Get down," Elijah commanded, forcing Caroline to the ground. Damon and Elena followed closely behind. Elijah began leading them toward the bar as fast as they could move while remaining crouched. Gunshots continued to be fired rapidly. Caroline saw men fall to the ground, blood pouring from a wound.

The four of them hid behind the bar, and Elijah began rummaging through the cabinets as soon as they stopped. When he was done searching, he pulled out two pistols. He gave one to Damon, and kept the other for himself.

"Just a little extra protection," he mused, readying the gun.

"I don't know how to work a gun!" Damon hissed.

Elijah sighed, and gave him a quick rundown of how to reload, hold, and aim the gun. When that lesson was finished, Elijah peeked over the counter top. Caroline shared a concerned look with Elena; not understanding what in the hell was going on. More importantly, not knowing where Klaus was in all of this.

"Over here, Rebekah!" Elijah called, waving over his sister.

Not long after, Caroline saw Rebekah and Matt rushing behind the bar to crouch down along side Caroline and the rest.

"Where are mother and Mikael?" Elijah asked.

"Mikael made a dash for the exit after the first shot. He dragged mother with him," Rebekah spat, rolling her eyes, and leaning against the cabinets.

"That's two less people to worry about at least," Elijah mumbled, keeping a watch out for anything unexpected. "We need to get out of here. The door leading to the gardens would be best, as everyone here is by the front of the house, rather than the back. I need everyone to stay close."

"What about Klaus?" Caroline asked with worry.

"Niklaus is a grown man. He can take care of himself. Someone needs to take care of this group first though. So follow me." Elijah was firm, but understanding as he looked at Caroline. He knew how she felt all too well, she could see that in his eyes.

The eldest Mikaelson began to cautiously lead the way, always keeping an eye out for men with guns while the shooting continued. Screaming could still be heard as people tried to make an exit as quickly as they could. But there were so many people; it all ended up being a crowded mess. The six of them were able to sneak off toward the back of the house with relative ease, since the entire guest list was trying to squeeze through the front doors. It was amazing how much people didn't think of more sensible options in a time of panic.

On their trip to the garden doors, Elijah only had to shoot two men, killing each on the first shot. Caroline still didn't know how many there were. However, the amount of shots being fired was beginning to die down. She wondered how much of that had to do with Klaus.

"Quickly," Elijah began once they were all outside. "Go around to the front of the house, and hide until I come find you. Everyone will be panicking to leave. You won't be able to get out of here without all the hassle."

"Where do we hide?" Elena asked.

"Rebekah will show you. Damon, watch over them," Elijah instructed.

"I will," Damon assured him, waving for the rest to follow him. "Come on, let's go."

"Elijah," Caroline started, ready to argue about how she should stay with Elijah. He surprised her by taking her hand, and moving slowly toward a hiding spot closer to the house.

"This goes against everything I have said tonight, but come with me. Klaus may need you as much as he needs me, whether he knows it or not."

Caroline nodded sadly, following Elijah to a spot behind the garden fountain. It was large, and nobody would see them from where they were knelt. Her heart raced as they waited rather impatiently for some sign of Klaus. It was hard to say if he would even come through the back doors, but it seemed likely he would exit in the opposite direction of the crowd.

So many thoughts were running through her mind while they waited. For so long she had thought she would be able to help Klaus with this, but what if she was completely wrong? What if all this violence that she was so ready to help him with, was just something she wasn't ready for? What if she was in over her head? Caroline had been so sure about meeting his parents and helping him before. But now, she wasn't sure of anything.

"I'm never arguing with Klaus over this again," she muttered, loud enough for Elijah to hear.

"Now don't say that," he chuckled lightly. "He isn't always right."

"He was about this. I just…I don't know what to think. This is all more overwhelming than I thought it would be."

"It's okay to feel that way. This is not a lifestyle you should have to feel accustomed to."

"How am I supposed to help Klaus though if I can't handle it?"

"You don't have to kill people to help him. He still needs you."

"So then was all my training for nothing?"

"Absolutely not," he told her, furrowing his brows. "Training is training, and no matter what the circumstances, it will help you stay alive longer. You're learning how to defend yourself, and no one can take that empowerment away from you."

Caroline nodded before going back to surveying the grounds. Leave it to Elijah to ease her mind a little.

It was a couple more minutes before Caroline noticed something out of the ordinary. Though the commotion had calmed a lot, people were still exiting the venue. One in particular caught her interest, as he checked the backyard before trying to make a quick exit.

"Elijah," Caroline hissed, shaking him lightly. "That's Shane! He's going to get away!"

Elijah readied his gun as much as he could, considering it was nothing more than a pistol. The shot wasn't going to be easy, but Caroline already saw him lining his target up. She covered her ears and ducked behind the fountain completely, waiting until it was over.

She heard a shot ring out, but it wasn't from the man next to her.

Caroline uncovered her ears, and looked up at Elijah. His face remained emotionless, as he continued pointing the gun at someone, now standing up instead of crouching. She peered over the water's edge to see Klaus standing feet away from where Shane now laid face down on the grass. There was a little blood on his shirt from god only knows who. He stared distantly at the dead body, his own handgun still raised.

"Niklaus," Elijah said firmly, still holding the pistol as he aimed for Klaus. "Drop your weapon. It's over."

She watched as Klaus nodded slowly, dropping the gun from his gloved hands, and walking over to where Elijah and Caroline were. However, Caroline wasn't able to wait any longer. She practically ran from her spot to go and wrap her arms around him. He slowly registered that it was Caroline attached to him, and did the same in return.

"What happened?" Elijah asked, putting the pistol away behind his shirt.

"Shane had a hit list of people he wanted to kill," Klaus said quietly, reaching to grab for a little black book with one hand. "He was planning to make a scene this whole time."

"Why do you have blood on your shirt?" Caroline asked, already inspecting him for wounds.

"It's not mine," he said absentmindedly, still watching Elijah.

"Mikael's name is in here," Elijah noted with intrigue. "Along with a lot of other tycoons."

"I noticed," Klaus answered.

"So you're saying—"

"That tonight was an example," Klaus finished for him, placing a couple kisses here and there on Caroline's head while his gaze never left Elijah's.

"Well…let's hope the others don't have plans to follow through with their targets until they have this hit man they desire."

"That's wishful thinking," Klaus scoffed.

"I don't understand," Caroline muttered, looking between the both of them. "An example of what?"

"Of what the result of Project Typhon would be doing," Klaus answered. "Instead of doing the kills themselves, the assassin they created would have done the work tonight."

"Let's take this one step at a time," Elijah reminded them. "No one is getting a personal assassin anytime soon."

"Just the military," Klaus mumbled.

"You are nobody's personal hit man. Not even theirs. The Five need to be taken care of in some way or another, and this is unfortunately the only way how. Now," Elijah began, taking a deep breath, "what are we doing about clean up?"

"The police will be here soon," Klaus told him. "But Hughes will cover up what needs to be covered up. It will all be kept under the radar. We just need to get out of here."

"Then let's not waste anymore time," Elijah said, motioning for them to start walking. "Let's round up Rebekah and the rest so we can be done with this place."

* * *

It was later that night when Caroline was packing her bags to leave for Vegas the next morning. It had been a few hours since they had left the mansion, and Klaus had yet to say anything to her. He simply sat on the couch, and waited for her to finish packing. There was only so much silence she could take though.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked softly, continuing to pack while she listened for a reply.

Klaus chuckled, leaning his head back on her sofa. "Is it wrong to wish Shane's men had gone through with all of their kills?"

"You mean is it wrong to wish they had killed Mikael?" She asked knowingly.

He nodded, turning to face her now. "Is it?"

"I think it's understandable. Mikael is a bastard, and therefore no one can blame you for not wanting to put up with him."

"But that doesn't make it right."

Caroline bit her lower lip, and put her suitcases on the floor so they were no longer sitting on her bed. She then made her way over to the couch, so that she could take a seat beside Klaus.

"I don't think there is a definite answer," she told him quietly, considering her own conflicted feelings from that night, and all the different emotions she had felt. "I mean…I wanted to help you _kill_ people so that I could prove I was strong enough to you. We're in a messed up situation, Klaus. What's right or wrong to us isn't going to be the same for those who haven't been in the same circumstances as we have, and know what we've been through."

"But that doesn't make killing him right, just because he's an asshole," Klaus retorted. "It's not like he's a member of The Five."

"Does that make killing The Five right?."

"It doesn't feel wrong," he chuckled. "But I think I understand what you're trying to say. Our morals are a bit askew compared to others."

"You're not a bad person, Klaus," she reminded him. "You're doing the best you can."

"Everything feels so fucked up right now," he told her quietly.

"Well…that's because it is," she agreed, causing him to chuckle. At least she had gotten a smile out of him. Caroline moved closer to him so that she could curl up against his chest. "And I'm not going to try and help in Vegas."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'll stay in the hotel room. After tonight, I think it would be easier on you if I didn't try to get involved."

"Do you really mean that?" Klaus asked hopefully.

"I do. I want you to be able to focus without having to worry about what I do."

"Thank you," he breathed, kissing the top of her head. "That means more to me than you know."

"I'm sorry for fighting with you yesterday. I should have known better. I let my stubbornness cloud my judgment."

"And I apologize if I made you feel like you weren't strong enough. I know you are, I just…I—"

"I know, Klaus," she assured him, nestling into him more. "I know."

The rest of the night, they sat like that on the couch, trying to forget earlier events. Caroline wanted to rejoice, because Klaus had taken down the first of The Five. Hughes would take care of the incident at the gala, and it would all look like an unfortunate occurrence by a deluded man. Klaus or Elijah wouldn't be pinned down for what happened. Everyone was safe, and they should be happy that nothing worse had happened. But she knew there was still a long journey ahead, and it was still far from over.

One might be dead, but there were still four more to go.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this chapter has taken so long. I hit an inspirational road block when it came to writing this, but hopefully I will get everything sorted out soon. Also updating to say I haven't abandoned this fic or anything, I've just been extremely inspired to start others as well haha.**

**I also meant for Caroline's feelings to be all over the place this chapter. A lot has happened and she's feeling a bit confused about her stance on being involved in Klaus' work. Hope I portrayed that well enough!  
**

**Until next time, loves! =]  
**


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